'Nust lecturers strike over 'mismanagement'

Published: 08 February 2018 (92 Views)

LECTURERS at the National University of Science and Technology (Nust) have downed tools protesting against alleged mismanagement at the institution which they say is crippling the university's operations.

This is the second time lecturers at the university have gone on strike over the same issue.

Last September the lecturers downed tools accusing management of splashing money on luxurious vehicles at the expense of students' learning materials and equipment.

Nust Educators' Association (Nusteda) president Mr Alois Muzvue said yesterday that lecturers have been on strike since Tuesday after the university failed to address their grievances.

Mr Muzvue said last September they downed tools for the same reasons but the industrial action was called off following the intervention of the Ministry of Higher and Tertiary Education, Science and Technology Development.

He said Government gave Nust athourities two months to address the lecturers' grievances but nothing has been done.

"Nothing has changed since our September strike and the ultimatum given by Government hence this strike. There is gross mismanagement at Nust and there are a number of issues that I wouldn't want to divulge at this point in time," said Mr Muzvue.

He however said management was intimidating lecturers instead of addressing the issues raised.

Mr Muzvue said lecturers were worried that the prevailing working conditions were going to compromise the quality of graduates produced by the science and technology institution.

"We are the lecturers who do the core business of Nust. We need to be supported by providing us with the required materials and equipment. We need to be well resourced in order to execute our duties and we hope our Government is going to give us full support so that at the end of the day we don't produce half-baked graduates," he said.